The Whitby Collegiate Science & Arts Classroom Pavilion demonstrates how engineered timber can transform the way schools are designed and built.   

A finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Timber Design Awards, the three-classroom pavilion designed by Andrew Sexton and delivered with Spencer Holmes and Makers Fabrication forms part of Whitby Collegiate’s masterplanned campus redevelopment and builds on the success of the school’s first classroom project. 

Designed around prefabrication, a low carbon footprint and a simple yet sophisticated aesthetic, it has delivered a cost effective and repeatable prototype for future buildings, a distinct campus identity and elevated learning experience.

A campus defined by timber architecture 

Constructed almost entirely from timber, with no structural steel members used, the pavilion demonstrates confidence in engineered timber as a complete building system. A carefully considered combination of timber products provides the strength, dimensional stability and durability required for a busy educational environment, while supporting the building’s functional purpose and layout. 

Prolam glulam contributes to the pavilion’s strong architectural presence. A defining feature is the covered walkway extending the full length of the classroom block’s frontage. The colonnade, a modern, timber interpretation of traditional collegiate cloisters, was formed using slender but wide Prolam 290 mm x 42 mm glulam posts set 45mm apart, so each twin reads as a single column – editing views, controlling sun and offering a generous sheltered zone where students gather.

Rather than concealing the building’s construction, the design deliberately expresses its timber elements. Structure, lining and surface remain visible, reinforcing the logic of engineered timber construction while allowing the building itself to become part of the learning experience. 

Designed for prefabrication

Prefabrication was central to the project’s success. 

The three classroom pavilion was prefabricated in five modules at Makers Fabrication’s factory and installed in a single day during the summer break, with all on-site construction completed within a two-month period – an outcome not achievable with a standard build. 

Specifically designed for prefabrication, module dimensions were set around factory door clearances, transport limits and crane installation requirements, with structure, services and interior linings resolved to fit this logic. The building envelope was manufactured and assembled in the factory, with the glulam colonnade and decking installed once the modules were in place.

Budget discipline shaped every decision. Prefabricated timber construction reduced on site labour and programme risk, and the use of readily available engineered timber materials lowered costs while meeting (and exceeding) the acoustic, thermal and durability requirements of a school environment.

Built for learning

Environmental performance and student wellbeing also influenced design decisions. 

Timber framing and engineering timber products were used throughout to reduce thermal bridging and lower embodied carbon, while plywood linings and wood-fibre acoustic ceiling panels provide durability, acoustic comfort and a calm learning environment. Together, these elements create classrooms that are robust enough for everyday school life while feeling warm, welcoming and connected the surrounding bush setting. 

A blueprint for the future

Rather than opting for generic prefabricated classrooms, Whitby Collegiate and Andrew Sexton Architecture committed to a timber language that gives the school a distinctive public identity. With a third classroom pavilion already in development, the project confirms a repeatable model for staged campus growth and demonstrates timber’s potential in contemporary education infrastructure.

“Prolam glulam allowed us to create a building where timber is both the structure and the architectural language. It delivers the durability and simplicity schools need while giving Whitby Collegiate a distinctive identity that can be repeated across future campus development.” 
— Andrew Sexton, Andrew Sexton Architecture

Get the look

• 290 x 42 Prolam Visual PL8 Posts
• Treatment: H3.2
• Finish: Machine Finish
• Coating: Drydens Wood Oil (Colour: Birch)

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Images courtesy of Mark Tantrum Photography.